Asean regional cooperation to fight cybercrime gets a boost

The Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) and GovWare conference last week put the focus on two key issues that need to be solved by the international community so as to ensure that ubiquitous connectivity - the cornerstone of a digitalised global economy - is not thwarted by barriers in the exchange of information.

As highlighted by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, in his keynote address, there is currently a "contestation for digital dominance", especially in fifth generation mobile telephony (5G) standards. Going forward, this could lead to a serious rift in global standards for mobile connectivity. The other major worry is the rise of cyberattacks by criminal gangs, often with the backing of elements of state power. These attacks are transnational in nature and the only way to tackle them is through international cooperation.

As Mr Teo noted, these two issues cannot be treated as a zero sum game in which one side wins and the other loses. It is likely both sides would lose in that case. Fortunately, the consensus that emerged from the three-day conference was that the way forward was through dialogue and cooperation among governments, with the private sector as an equal stakeholder. This will help lead to better solutions, deal with sophisticated cyber threats and strengthen trust and confidence in vital cross-border digital systems, like online payment networks.